I think maybe he was suggesting $2M/per for 5. Which I think is too low, but I agree with the principle. If Toronto could have Calderon starting next year and possibly the following year, while grooming a younger point, and if he'd sign for MLE-type money over a 3-year contract, I would be all for that.

I think maybe he was suggesting $2M/per for 5. Which I think is too low, but I agree with the principle. If Toronto could have Calderon starting next year and possibly the following year, while grooming a younger point, and if he'd sign for MLE-type money over a 3-year contract, I would be all for that.

If Calderon said, "I'm done playing international ball." I'd be all over it, too.

Unfortunately, that is not going to happen and injuries will always be my concern with him. For all the arguments of how he makes players better, he is not going to help anyone getting treatment in practice and sitting on the bench during games.

A healthy Calderon at $5M per year would be great - especially with a younger PG being groomed.

I honestly don't see an injury issue; it's always been overblown, IMO. Missing 10-15 games a season is worth it for what he brings, and especially if his minutes are declining as the new PG develops.

His minutes at the international level will also inevitably continue to decline as they have been since Rubio took over as the lead guard for Spain.

I don't feel history backs the idea injuries are not a concern. Personally, I do see consistently missing 10-15 games a season as being a problem but that is not the bigger problem. The bigger problem is he is not playing at 100%. Calderon is good but he is not good enough to not be 100% or very near to it. Over the years he has played but he struggled. We've always listened to the excuse he is nursing groin/hamstring/back. If you look through his injury history you'll see the majority of missed games are early in the season and he deals with those injuries all season.

No doubt Rubio will be the lead guard but Jose will still have a very important role to play with Spain's national team for the foreseeable future - ironically barring injury.

Questions: Are we having this discussion if Calderon is making 5mm per year over the next two years? IE do we dislike the man because we dislike the contract?

The contract, for me, is only half of the equation. My issues are:

1) he ties up $10.5 of $58M next season. I think that money can be better used for next year. (so that is the contract)
2) he is a starter with a history of injury after international competition heading in to an Olympic summer. Whether he is paid $5M or $10M at this time he is currently the starter and I don't see him contributing in the trainer's room or on the bench in a suit.

Thinking back the last 2 years of how poorly he was viewed around the league it seems to me, given now the idea of trading him or a team taking him on is no longer laughed at by the ESPN chat crew or HoopsWorld.com chat crew, it is the time to strike. He will not be the starter long term (take BC's word for that, not mine) and he is one tweaked hammy or groin away from being a regret of not acting now.

My Favourite Player in the World

... is Jose. If we can get this deal, take it. In a heartbeat, take it. If we are still lost in our search for a good point to lead the show, we can make a run at him in a season and a half when he becomes a free agent.
This trade is too good to be true.